The reorganisation will see four dedicated regional businesses created – North, South, Central and London – with each led by a Managing Director reporting to Mark Tant, MD, Wates Construction.
As part of the changes Wates has appointed Helen Martin as the new MD for the Central business. Martin joins Wates after an 11-year career with Skanska, where she was most recently MD of the development business in the UK, responsible for real estate investments.
In her new role Martin will lead efforts to expand Wates’ work in science and technology, strengthen Wates Construction’s links to the business arc from Oxford to Cambridge, and drive growth across the Midlands and East Anglia.
Phil Shortman becomes MD for London, which now encompasses both Wates’ construction and private residential business in the capital.
He will be maintaining the focus on commercial and residential projects whilst building on Wates’ track record in heritage and commercial regeneration projects.
Paul Dodsworth retains responsibility for the North of England, where he will focus on commercial and residential projects, and on ensuring that Wates’ growth in the region supports the Government’s levelling up agenda.
Richard Shroll moves from his current role leading Wates Construction’s Residential London division to become MD of an expanded South construction business, which will have a more active focus on the South East.
Wates is closing its Basingstoke office, relocating staff to its Leatherhead headquarters and to new premises in Newbury.
As part of the push to accelerate the construction group’s greater involvement in sectors such as industrial, science and technology, and healthcare, a new healthcare team has been established with the new structure to be announced later this month.
Paul Chandler, Executive Managing Director, Wates Construction Group, said: “This reorganisation of Wates Construction underlines our ongoing commitment to trusting local leaders to keep looking for better ways to serve our customers.
“The innovation, adaptability, and collaboration we have always used to meet their needs are helping us take on the challenge of making our sector more sustainable and diverse.
“Strengthening our leadership in each of the regions in which we operate, and our expansion into new industries shows our commitment to meeting our customers’ needs wherever they arise, with experts based across the country enabling us to provide specialist support locally, backed up by the scale and capability of a national business.
“Our vision will be driven by our new senior team, who will help us realise our ambitions. While I’m delighted to congratulate those who we have appointed from within our own ranks, I’m particularly pleased to welcome Helen, who joins us with a fantastic pedigree from Skanska.”
